


Brave Boys

by sookai_revolution



Category: ITZY (Band), K-pop, NCT (Band), TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Best Friends Choi Soobin & Huening Kai, Crushes, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Family Issues, Friendship, High School, Inner Dialogue, Introvert heuningkai, Love, M/M, Memes, Platonic Romance, Slice of Life, Trust, Whipped Huening Kai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25518286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sookai_revolution/pseuds/sookai_revolution
Summary: Kai and Soobin, while weathering family life, high school, pass traumas and present pains, decide to give true friendship a second chance.There are many things that could break up a friendship. So how will Kai and Soobin handle those things?This story shows how the boys grow on their own, with their family and with one another; the wounds they carry into this new friendship and how they work though them and become what they become in the end.
Relationships: Choi Soobin & Huening Kai, Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Taeyeon
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 01

Kai sat down at his desk in the classroom with no one else in the room. It was dim since the lights were off, and Kai was feeling a bit drowsy as a result of that, and the night before.  
The black haired boy rubs his eyes and face to get himself awake.  
Why isn't anybody coming in yet?

It was 8:00.  
School would start at 8:30

A few seconds later a boy came in. Then after a minute two boys came in and then a girl and then the rest of the class. Finally the teacher joined.

There was a new boy in class. This Kai had realised. He saw that he had black hair, eyes that looked like he needed some rest that day, and he carried a backpack. He also had dimples if Kai wasn't mistaken.

The teacher stood in front of the class.

"Hello class! Today is Monday. How are you guys doing?"

"We're good"

"And how are you?" A foreign voice came from behind his head. Kai assumed it was the new student.

"How am I?" Mr. Choi replied looking happily amused.

"Yes"

"I am very good. Thank you, Soobin"  
So indeed it was he.

Ow. Ad his name was Soobin. What a respectful boy Soobin is, Kai mentally said his name, like he knew the boy (well he was already so fond of him). A lazy smile tugged at his lips.

During classes, Soobin asked quite a few questions. Kai thought he'd be shy since he was new there, but he was sort of the opposite. However, Kai realised that even though he felt free to ask questions-even telling the teacher when the shier children wanted to ask a question-that he only spoke when he needed to.  
He only spoke when he needed a question answered or to ask help for others or to go to the bathroom. He didn't chat with the other children unnecessarily and so didn't get into trouble.  
He was also very helpful when the child next to him asked to burrow something.  
Kai was worried that he'd get taken advantage of because of that quality, but just then, he heard Jordan ask Soobin for an eraser.

Soobin did something that surprised Kai for all the right reasons. He told him he to hold on but didn't give him the eraser and then it was lunch time.

He never lent him it.

Kai had questions. Why didn't he let him burrow the eraser? He's probably annoyed of so many people burrowing his things. Well they should have their own things and not need to ask the new child for stuff. He's new after all. Can't they ask the others they know already?

'Anyway..', Kai thought.

At lunch time, Kai was still feeling a bit drowsy, eyes heavy, head stuffy (knees weak, lol nope).  
But he went to eat lunch anyway. He sat by a table with other introverted children like himself. They weren't his friends but they all had a good relationship.

"Kai your eyes look tired"  
"Yeah, I- last night was not sleep-friendly. Let's just say that" he chuckled and flipped his hair to the side, trying to widen his tired eyes voluntarily to see the food infront of him.

The girl, Chae, looked at Kai for a while longer than he had talked. Concern grew in her eyes, while Kai dug into his sandwich.  
_____

"Kai"  
Kai jumped in shock.  
"Uck!"  
He then started to breath again and calm himself.  
"Oh my God you scared me, Chae"  
"Sorry"  
"What's up?"

"Kai, I know it is not my place to ask you this but I'm really concerned about how you've been looking lately. And I'm not sayi-"

"Oh.... Yeah" Kai looked down at his arm that propped him up on the edge of the sink.

He straightened his gait decisively and made eye contact with the girl.

"Chae, can you not tell anyone about this?"  
Kai spoke in a low tone and searched Chae's eyes for affirmation. She finally looked up into his eyes.

"Y- yes"  
"Okay, uhm.... there is something going on at home that keeps me up at night sometimes. I- need you to not tell anyone this, okay"

Chae nodded her haid nervously.

Kai was impressed with himself. His tongue didn't disclose anything much at all. But he was also unimpressed. He had the chance to.

The truth was that his sister was coming home late from hanging out with her friends and his mom was having a hard time with it, so she'd always end up giving the girl a very necessary lecture.

"Chae-"  
Kai spoke but his words were cut short but Chae's sudden embrace.

Kai was surprised. But after a while he hugged her back, and realising she wasn't letting go anytime soon, he relaxed and hugged her tighter.

Kai had realised that that was the first time anyone had hugged him in school. Yeah, I need friends, he thought.

When she ended the hug, there was tears on her cheeks.  
"Thank you for trusting me to tell me this"

"Thank you for not telling anyone"  
Kai said in a bit of a questioning tone, and searched for her eyes again in a way of asking her to keep the confidence.  
She wiped her eyes and laughed at the sound of his response.  
"Yeah, I won't"  
Kai was surprised that no one had come into the washroom that whole time. Phew!

__________

Soobin was sitting at the other end of the lunchroom where there was no one. After a while, however, two of the most popular boys in the school apparently got possessed to sit by him.  
Kai did not know what in heckaroni was happening or if it was all an act with Soobin included in acting too.

Kai shook his head with eyebrows raised like he was shaking off the thoughts.  
'My brain don't got time for that'.

Kai finished his meal and went to the washroom to wash up.

After lunch time, the children had biology class, and Soobin asked more questions, Kai almost fell asleep and the teacher unapologetically called him out in a big way.

Chae in the other class felt concerned but a bit relieved that Kai told her even that much. The kid shouldn't have to bottle everything inside like that, she thought. I hope he'll be okay, she thought.  
'He doesn't even have friends. I would be his friend but I'm too afraid. Too shy. Hope this will work out.'

[New]

The second day, Kai saw Soobin playing basketball intensely with the other boys. He must like basketball a lot.

He was pretty cool, and Kai wanted to get to know him better but he looked like he was going to be a popular kid who will be far out of his league, so far he can't talk-or get to talk-to him.

But Kai thought differently on the third day when Soobin asked him if he can through away the bone in Kai's tray. Kai of course agreed. It was weird but nice and he kinda wondered why he did that but quickly shrugged the thought off.

In the next week, Kai had already gotten an idea, or what he thought was an idea of who Soobin was.  
He liked basketball, he always smelt good, he helped others a lot, he stayed away from the bullies and stayed with the 'fun' children. Kai calls them fun because they tell a lot of jokes and have a light demeanor which he must admit he liked and admired.

Sometimes he wished he could be with them. Ahh, day dreaming.

"Kai"

Why were people calling his name so shakening-ly. Shakening-ly? Really, Kai? Smh.

It was Soobin this time.  
Wait-  
Soobin!

Soobin?

Why am I surprised? Meh, this is nothing. Just Soobin.

"Yes" he did not expect or intend to sound that submissive and alert.  
Wtf, Kai?

'Anyways..', Kai thought.

Soobin was wearing a deep blue cotton shirt and jeans to match. His face looked supple milky white and his dimples shined as he smiled at Kai.

Kai's heart almost skipped a bit, and though he didn't understand how TF that was possible, he had no time to think about that, for the Soobin™ was talking to him.

His mouth had already answered and he only realized when Soobin started talking.  
"Will you be willing to play basketball with us today?"

"Sure"  
Why did his mouth say that? He wasn't sleepy today so what was happening?  
Whatever it was, Kai was NOT having it.

"Alright" Soobin held Kai by the shoulder and lead him to the huge hall.

"Okay Kai is playing with us today"

Wtf! Kai stood with Soobin's hand on his shoulder and starinh at a line of tall, ripped basketball players he'd never seen before though they all went to the same school. His ass was in trouble and he knew it.

________

"Kai, I heard you have a new friend at school"  
Kai's mom said.

"Who told you that?"  
"Uh, no one has to tell me that. I just know things"  
"You said you heard"  
"Oh.. right. Chae told me" she sis sheepishly.

"Chae? How do you know Chae?"

"I saw her walking home last week and asked if she knows you, she said yes and we started talking"  
"Oh.... Okay"

So she knows Chae now. I wonder what Chae told her, Kai thought.

_______  
Kai was writing in his diary.

< Soobin held my hand today. Wtf? We were playing basketball and he was guiding me so he stopped me from throwing the ball by lightly placing his arm on mine. Also before we started playing, he held my hand. >`< bruh! My heart! My Kai heart. Ahhhhh~>

Yeah, he was whipped.

The third week, Kai had already played two games with Soobin and their group. It was fun, challenging even emotional. Some things scratched his ego hard. But it made him grow and he was somewhat grateful for it. Plus if he stopped playing he wouldn't have any time with Soobin and he'd lose his chance to get that first real convo in.

"Soobin"

"Kai"

They say at the same time.

"You go first" Soobin gestures with the hand which held a fork.

"Kai, I mean Soobin"  
They both laughed. Kai felt embarrassed. Soobin questioned his words.

"Soobin,", he stopped and cringed internally for saying his name so many times.  
Then went on. Soobin was paying full attention to him.  
"You play really good at basketball"

"Thank you"

"How many years have you been playing?"

"I've been playing for 6 years now  
Since Mom and Dad broke up, I haven't gotten to practice with Dad that much so, but I practice at home and the kids at the park give me motivation" Soobin smiled like he was talking about the thing that made him most happy in the world.

I wonder if he looks the same way when talking about his mom? Kai wondered.

Kai smiled back at Soobin.

"I'm sorry your parents broke up"

"Nah it's okay. Thanks" Soobin shrugged it off with a wave of the hand.

"Alright, so, my turn?"

"Yeah" a light laugh released from Kai's throat.

"Kai,"  
The way he said Kai's name made him feel like he was on a date or something. This is definitely something he's going to tell his diary! Oh yeah!

"So, tell me about yourself. You seem really interesting Kai"

"I.. I do"

"Yeah" Soobin smiled pleasantly. Amicably.

"Well, my name is Kai Huening, and I'm 18, as you know. And I like grape juice", he held up a bottle of Grape juice drink and Soobin eyed it.

'If this was a story I'd kiss me right here and now, but it's not like I like him that way so... Lol', Kai thought.

"So, you live close to school?" Soobin asked as he bit into his second sandwich.

"Kinda yeah"

"Alright. By the way I like grape juice too. It's the thing!"

Soobin mentally kicked himself. What did that even mean? Definitely not what he wanted to say or how cool he wanted to sound, no that wasn't it.

Everytime Kai tried to see how Soobin was looking at him when he wasn't watching directing at said boy, he saw that the he was watching his own food or somewhere else.

Kai always watched the eyes to see what someone's intentions were. He didn't know what Soobin was coming with but once he doesn't step on a wrong line, he'd be good.


	2. Two

By the fourth week Kai had already gotten a good idea of who Soobin was.

Kai was confused yet again. But unlike before, this confusion came with fear. He wanted to get to know Soobin better but he was scared that if he did so, he'd see some dark and unpleasant parts of Soobin which would repel him from going any further.

'Oh, well! There goes another friend. Not like I had any anyway'.  
Kai chuckled painfully to himself.

Kai put back his diary in the draw and closed it. He sat there with the lamp on. His mom would come checking on him in a few minutes, so he lazily pushed himself up and went to wash up.

_________

"How was your first week at this school?" Soobin's mom popped her head up into the mirror. Her eyebrow was raised in question.

They were on their way home from School.   
Not her eyebrows. Soobin and Taeyeon, along with his baby sister.

"It was good. I made new friends already and I'm in the basketball team. The children are nice and teachers too. I try to stay away from the bullies" Soobin answered as he made circles with his finger on the belly of his baby sister who lay asleep in her baby seat next to him.

"Well, yes, you always sift out the bad guys from the good guys... What about Kai?"

What did she just say?  
Soobin's eyebrows touched the car roof for a second there.

"K- Kai? You mean...?"

"I mean the boy who we met him and his mom at that summer event thingy. His mom said he was transferring to this school next summer, which is now, so I just wanted to know if you met him."  
Taeyeon explained as she scanned both sides of the road in order to turn the corner safely.

"Uh-"  
For some reason his words couldn't come out eloquently like usual. How did he not know his mom knew Kai's mom and they met at a summer event when he had to be there with her. 'His life was a lie' is the only explanation.

Oh what else? Vegetables grow from the sky?

"I think it'd be so nice if you guys get along and he can come over sometimes" Soobin's mom went on.

He could hear the hopeful smile in her voice.  
Bruh!  
This was not happening.

He just wanted to chill for at least the first month of school. Oh wait-

Soobin's eyes lost focus. He tried to not stutter on the next thing he said so as to not make things obvious to his mom.

"Yeah" he said carefully. The word dragged on as a result.

His mom looked at the mirror again to see him.  
Soobin quickly looked up and a smile automatically plastered across his face. It was like he didn't even need to try; his body covered for him.

Taeyeon smiled back, small wrinkles forming by her eyes beautifully as they always did.

___________

Kai quickly pulled his arm out from under the sheet, but unfortunately it stuck halfway.  
He groaned mentally.

"Ooow"  
The pale skinned woman who had just pushed the door open made a shocked expression.  
Her eyebrows were jumping out of her face and her mouth hung open until a few seconds and then her expression completely changed into an almost teasing smile with a hint of pride to it.

Kai swiftly covered his face with the sheet, and turned onto his side.

He silently swore: 'fudge'.

Jimin's smile turned to a look of concern. She was disconcerted that he was finding this moment soo embarrassing. As a mother this was a moment of gold.  
But as she spoke, a smile tugged at her cheek.

"Kaiii, were you...."

Kai could hear his mom's footsteps getting closer to him.

Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!

Fack! Don't touch me, please. Don't come near.

His mother staying there, even if she was understanding to it, would only make that moment more painfully awkward for him. Plus it would feel weird cuz.... Yeah.

The footsteps stopped and Kai released breath.

Jimin searched for the words, her mouth making various shapes until they found the right one.

"Your Father just reached home. Aand we going to have dinner in a few minutes, so...." she paused. "you can come out when you're done"

She silently cussed at the last word. I should've said 'ready' instead!

She decidedly walked back out and closed the door behind her gently.

Kai waited for her footsteps to dissipate.  
"Oh shit" he said to himself at last.

____________

It was the second month since Kai met Soobin and everything was sort of set. For example, when they meet for basketball, they'd acknowledge each other, in class they would only speak if either one of them needed to borrow something from the other (which would also make cute moments because they'd share small smiles at each other), and at lunch, Soobin would sit with his friends while Kai sat in his usual spot with Chae and company.

The lunch room was filled by now, and Kai and Soobin walked to their respective seats.

Soobin did something Kai couldn't expect.

"Kai" Soobin called out to the him while gesturing for him to come sit with them.

Oh hell naw~  
Kai froze for a second but then barely refused the gesture. Soobin's face looked confused and disappointed.  
He then shrugged him off and went to sit with his friends.

Kai had to admit he did feel bad for doing that but he couldn't betray the part of him that knows if he sat with the guys, he'd either be a target for them to pick on or it would be plain awkward.

_____________

"Hey, why didn't you come and sit with us?" A clearly confused Soobin asked.

Kai was drinking from the water fountain.

He looked around to meet Soobin's eyes which, if he wasn't mistaken, had a bit of hurt in them.

Now he was feeling bad times two.  
And even though the question deserved an honest answer like "I'm friends with you, not them. I know you, not them", he sugar coated it.

"Soobin.. I know you-" he began.

I said surgar coated, not lied.

"Not my friends. I know" Soobin finished it for him.  
But he still didn't understand.

"Look, they're really nice people. Even I didn't expect them to be so welcoming. I know you're shy, but just.. maybe if we walk in together you won't be so scared"

Soobin reasoned.

Kai couldn't believe he was being so unreasonable. And insensitive.

'You think I'm being shy?' is what he wanted to say to him.

"Uh, I don't think so" he scratched behind his ear.  
But Soobin wasn't having it.  
He waved his hand as a way of dismissing what Kai said.

"None of that talk. Tomorrow I'll wait for you, and we'll both walk to the table together, and you can sit next to me"

The way he said _you_ sit next to _me_ instead of _we_ sit next to _each other_, made Kai a bit sad. I mean, they'd only met a month ago, at least in Kai's head, but Kai thought he'd think of him as being closer to him than before.

His fanfic was not going the way it was supposed to. Aish!

And Soobin was starting to get on his nerves. This was not working out. He would not let this work out if that is the way things are going to be.

He just breathed out heavily and faked smiled at Soobin who returned it at last minute.

___________

Kai scribbled in his diary angrily.

"Fuuuuck!!!" He tore out the page and crumpled it up stuffed it in his mouth and chewed the sucker.

He looked like a savage.

He was mad at Soobin for not understanding how he felt anxious to talk to new people and especially to talk in a group. He was mad that Soobin would even think about introducing him to his friends like that when he only knew Soobin.  
Kai felt like the boy was throwing him out in the wild, and some other part of him felt like Soobin was doing it to make fun of him.  
Kai knew it all came from being hurt before. But of course the feeling wasn't going away soon, so he felt to run away from having to explain to Soobin even one more time.

That night, Soobin lay in bad staring up at the ceiling. He was wondering why Kai had reacted the way he did when he called him over. Was he pushing himself onto the boy and trying to be his friend too much. That would be awkward and he cringed at the thought of it being the reason.  
I mean, he just got a really interesting aura off the guy and he had no reason to stay away from him, so he wanted to get to know him better.

But Kai didn't seem to be weirded out or bothered about any of Soobin's gestures before. So why this one?

Soobin got sleepy and his ego couldn't handle the other possibilities being true, so he chopped it up to Kai being too shy to come over.  
He nodded at the thought, yawned and pulled his pink blinders over his eyes to go to sleep.

__________

"Soobin! Wake up!"

Soobin woke up to the sound of his dad's voice. He was shaking him.

"I'm sorry!" He yelled as he shot upright.

"Calm the f down. What were you dreaming about?" Namjoon asked.

Soobin did as told.

"It was Kai. He was .. trapped in a big aquarium thing.. only had enough space for him to breath.. and he was like yelling 'why are you doing this to me?' but I wasn't doing anything? But he looked soo hurt" Soobin said with the obvious pain creeping in his voice at the end.

His dad patted his back in a comforting gesture.

"It's okay, sweety. Kai is fine. And you're fine. Hear me?"

Soobin nodded now starting to catch back his breath.


End file.
